The next great adventure
by peevesisawesome
Summary: Follows the death of some of the characters and their reactions in the afterlife. Harry dies at a great old age and meets his family and friends in Heaven.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

He was falling, falling, falling, through the darkness. He was conscious that he had just been Stunned, but his mind was still refusing to register what that meant. The blackness of his surroundings was all-encompassing, stopping him from thinking about anything. Then, it gradually started to glow, until he became bathed in warm sunlight. At last, he floated gently down onto a blanket of meadow grass, fresh with the scent of wildflowers. It felt just like the meadow behind James' country house, where he and James used to play for hours at a time. He lay there for a moment, reluctant to move. He just wanted to stay there forever, without a care in the world. It was a very familiar voice calling his name that made him eventually open his eyes.

"Sirius! Sirius!"

Sirius slowly opened his eyes. He saw a face surrounded by a mess of black hair.

"Harry? Is that you?"

For one wild moment Sirius thought that perhaps he had made a mistake, that in fact he was still alive. The expression on the other's face, however, dispelled this idea. He was smiling, but his hazel eyes (another clue) were full of pain and sadness. Suddenly Sirius understood. He was in Heaven, and this was his best friend, his dead friend, James Potter, looking down at him.

"James?"

"Yes, it's me. Welcome to Heaven, Sirius." And the two men embraced.

"Oh, James, I'm so sorry I failed you. I promised you that I'd look after Harry and now look at what I've done…"

"Sirius! Don't say that. You've made Harry so happy recently, given someone that he can really trust and look up to. We will never be able to show how grateful we are to you, giving him a little bit of love, when we couldn't." This was Lily talking now, looking at him with eyes filled with gratitude.

"But…I spent most of his life in Azkaban, how was that helping him?"

"You were trying to avenge our deaths. It shows your loyalty as a friend extends beyond the grave. Trust me, Sirius, we owe you a lot."

Sirius smiled at him weakly. "Your son is wonderful, you know."

"I know," James replied, smiling. "Here, come back to our house with us. We want to know about what you've been getting up to recently. I mean, we've been checking in once in a while, but still, I want to know more. What's the world like nowadays?"

And with that, the three people left the meadow, walking slowly up to a little stone cottage in the distance, linking arms and laughing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The last thing he saw were those green eyes, Lily's eyes, before his world faded into darkness. Then he was lying on a soft bed, smelling a scent which was both beautiful and terribly painful at the same time. It was the scent of freshly-picked lilies, and there was only one person in the universe he knew that smelt like that, and, as he opened his eyes, he realised that this person was in fact in the room.

"Lily?"

"Yes, it's me, Severus. Welcome to Heaven."

"Heaven? How could I be in Heaven? After what I've done, all the mistakes I've made…"

"You have paid a lot for your mistakes, Sev, and the actions you took to rectify those mistakes show that you are most worthy of a place here. And I think there are two people waiting outside to apologise to you."

At this moment, the door opened and James and Sirius walked in. Severus stiffened, about to protest, but the looks on their faces, ones of true sorrow and shame, as well as, strangely, gratitude, stopped him from saying anything. James spoke first:

"I'm sorry, Severus, for all that I have done to you. Since my death, I've discovered that you are a much greater person than I ever believed you to be. Despite your loathing for me, which I see now as not being entirely ungrounded, you were still willing to sacrifice yourself for my son. Ever since he was born, his life has been so much more important than my own, and nothing can prove to me more that you are a compassionate man and…" He hesitated for a moment. "And if Lily had chosen you instead of me, you are the only person who I would have thought would love her enough."

The silence seemed to last forever. Severus couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You…you would approve of me being with Lily?"

"It would break my heart, but as long as she was happy, I wouldn't say anything against it. You are the only one who can treat her with all the love that she deserves."

Severus hesitated for a moment, and then his face broke into a rare smile. "Thank you. But I've been thinking recently, and I've come to realize that you're probably better for her. Lily deserves someone pure and whole, and I'm too twisted to be able to care for her properly. Although I never admitted it, by seventh year you had actually matured enough to be sensitive and caring; when you two were together you were perfect for each other. And I can see that you are still perfect for each other, and will be forever. So now we should just forget about our past and-"

"Be friends?"

"Yes," replied Severus, and they shook hands.

All this time Sirius had been standing in the corner, watching with a vague disbelief as two former enemies became firm friends. Now it was his turn to speak:

"Err…Severus…the thing us Marauders value most is loyalty, and, even if I don't want to admit it, I can see that you have definitely shown the utmost loyalty to Lily and Harry. In the last two years of my life, I had come to regard Harry's life so highly and I realised the foolishness of my earlier actions, so…maybe we won't ever be friends, but at least acquaintances?"

"Yes, I think acquaintances would be a good start", Severus said. And with that, the four of them burst out into laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

There was a flash of light, and then darkness. He suddenly found himself lying on a bed of pine needles, their scent wafting lazily into his nostrils. It was just as he remembered the woods of his childhood, before they had become his nightmare. The peacefulness of that moment was everlasting, until it was punctuated by the sound of voices. He cracked open an eye, and saw the vague outlines of two people walking in the foreground, followed by two others. Slowly, they came into focus, and he sat up, gasping in surprise. He would recognise those faces anywhere, for they were the faces of his two best friends, who were both dead.

"James? Sirius?"

"Remus!" they shouted, running towards him. James' face was filled with concern, and Sirius, although he seemed cheerful, was betrayed by his eyes, which were clouded and upset. At first Remus couldn't understand why there was so much pain in his friends' faces, but suddenly the answer hit him.

"Teddy…" he murmured, his face crumpling in misery as he thought of his son, who would never get to know his father. He felt James put an arm around him in comfort, and realised that he actually knew what it felt like to be separated from your child by Death.

"It's okay, Moony. When he grows up he'll understand that you died to make his world a better place," James said softly. "He has his mother, Andromeda and Harry to look after him now, and he will be loved and cared for by them."

Before he could continue, another person appeared in the woods, her bubblegum-pink hair betraying her identity. Remus rushed over to his wife, his face stricken. Her eyelids fluttered open and focused on his face.

"Dora? What are you doing here? Is Teddy alright, is he safe?" The questions came pouring out of his mouth, his panic clearly visible to the onlookers.

"Oh, Remus!" she whispered, as she took in her surroundings, and then continued in a stronger voice. "I couldn't stand not knowing what was happening, so I came after you to Hogwarts. I saw Dolohov hitting you with that curse and I was so shocked, I forgot myself. I think someone must have attacked me then. Teddy…he'll never know his parents." She started crying softly.

"Sshhh," whispered Remus soothingly, hugging her close and rubbing gentle circles on her back. "Teddy will be safe with Andromeda, I promise. Come on, let me introduce you to my friends," he said, helping her up. They turned around, and that was when they noticed Severus Snape standing next to Lily, James and Sirius.

"Snape?" said Remus with barely masked hostility, struggling to understand why he was standing with such ease next to James and Sirius.

"Remus, let me explain," said James with a small smile.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

When Severus' actions had been explained to the new additions to Heaven, Remus readily agreed to accept him as a new friend. After all, throughout his Hogwarts years, Remus had been the least hostile towards him, and had indeed attempted to execute some restraint upon his friends. Tonks, who had never really gotten to know Snape very well, willingly followed her husband's lead in forgetting past hostilities and prejudices against him. Then it was time for the more well-established members of Heaven to show the couple their final connection to the world they had left behind.

In a quiet glade in the forest, there was a small pond fringed with tree ferns. The rocks surrounding the pool were moulded into natural chairs for prolonged viewing. Upon arrival at the pond, James started to explain to Remus and Tonks the purpose of it.

"This pond is like a portal into the mortal world. You just say the name of the person you want to see, and then they'll appear in the pond. It's like a Muggle television, you can rewind and everything."

"Can we see Teddy?" asked Tonks.

"Of course, just say his full name and he'll appear in the pond," replied James.

"Teddy Remus Lupin," said Remus in a clear voice.

A gentle ripple passed over the surface of the pond, revealing in its wake the image of a baby smiling serenely in his sleep. As they looked on, Lily complimenting his parents on the cuteness of their son, his hair changed colour from the sandy brown of his father to a vibrant turquoise.

"How did he do that?" asked Lily, astonished.

"He's a metamorphmagus, like me," replied Tonks, changing her own hair to match that of her baby.

After a while, Albus Dumbledore arrived on the scene. His former students jumped up to greet him, and he responded in kind.

"Remus and Tonks, I'm very sorry to interrupt you when you so much want to see your son in peace, but I must inform you of important events that are occurring."

"Of course, Albus," replied Remus, somewhat confused. He turned back to the pond and whispered: "Goodnight, Teddy. I love you."

Tonks added her own farewell, before leaning down to kiss her son's forehead. As soon as she touched the pond, the image faded away. A single tear rolled down her cheek, which she brushed away before turning to face Dumbledore.

Dumbledore explained to them about the Resurrection Stone, and they waited together until Harry called upon them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Harry Potter was lying in bed, slowly slipping into the fantastical and fairytale world of his dreams. He'd lived a full life, much longer than he had even dared to hope for in those dark days of the war. He had a loving family and he knew that they were safe due to the sacrifices made by those many, many years before.

As he fell asleep, he seemed to be in King's Cross Station again. The scene was exactly as he remembered it from his brief meeting with Dumbledore, his surroundings shrouded in a light veil of mist. Yet he felt different, as if he belonged here now. Slowly, he realised that he had probably passed away. A whistle sounded, and a moment later a scarlet steam train appeared, belching clouds of steam. It was an exact replica of the Hogwarts Express, but it seemed deserted. Harry moved forward to embark on the train, Dumbledore's words from that day echoing in his mind. However, before he could climb aboard, a figure of an old man appeared, blocking his way.

"Harry Potter," said the man in a slow voice. "If you decide to board this train, you are forfeiting your right as a wizard to return to the world of the living as a ghost. You will not be able to make any contact with those who are still alive, but will be able to spend the rest of eternity with the deceased. However, if you choose to become a ghost, your choice will be eternal and you will not be able to make contact with those who have died. Choose wisely, as the rest of your existence will depend upon this choice."

Images of his family appeared in Harry's mind, first Ginny, now grey-haired and lined, but in his opinion still as beautiful as she was on her wedding day. Then came his three children, all greying and with their own families. Even as these images formed, he knew that, despite the fact that he would no doubt miss them, he needed to consider others before he made his decision. If he continued on, he would be reunited with Ron, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Dumbledore, Lupin, Sirius, his parents…the list was endless. With these people in his mind's eye, he made his choice.

"I decide to board the train, and I am aware of the consequences of my actions."

The old man bowed and disappeared. As soon as Harry entered the train, it began to move, picking up speed as it left the station. He settled into his seat, the familiar sense of excitement filling his body. As he looked outside, the landscape seemed to be bright and cheerful, yet there were ominous clouds on the horizon. Occasional flickers caught his eye, and images from the first year of his life could be seen in brief glimpses as the train sped past.

After about a minute, there was a sudden burst of green light which reminded Harry of that most fatal of curses, and the landscape suddenly turned dark, rain lashing the windows relentlessly. The images now turned to his life at the Dursleys, as grey field after grey field sped past. Ten minutes later, the sky started brightening and the landscape became more mountainous. Images from his years at Hogwarts flashed up, as the sky gradually grew darker and darker and the landscape more and more dangerous.

Finally, just as Harry thought that it couldn't grow any darker, the land flattened out and the sun came out and bathed the countryside in its golden glow. For the remainder of the journey, the landscape, although perhaps less vibrant than before, was beautiful and peaceful, with rolling hills and green meadows. Images of his life after the war flew by, and Harry thought to himself, "This gives a whole new meaning to your life flashing before your eyes, doesn't it?"

Eventually, the train slowed to a stop, and Harry stood up, stretching, and left the compartment, slowly disembarking from the train. He looked up, and saw a line of people waiting on the platform. First, he saw a mass of red hair, the telltale sign of the Weasleys—Mr and Mrs Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George (reunited with each other at last) and, last but definitely not least, his best friends Ron and Hermione. Then, he saw Remus and Tonks standing next to Sirius, and, at the end of the line, his parents. For the first time in years he could see them in person. He stood amazed, before slowly making his way towards them. They smiled warmly and welcomed him into their arms.

A few minutes later, some more figures appeared. Harry's smile faltered slightly, as he viewed those with whom he had never come to terms, or whose deaths he still had not reconciled himself to. First, there was Snape. However, even as Harry watched, he could tell that a great change had come over the man, whose face and eyes were brighter than he had ever seen them.

"Severus, despite your treatment of me at school, I am forever grateful to you for what you did to ensure my safety, at great risk to your own life. I think that this more than makes up for your earlier mistakes, and I am quite happy to forgive you completely for them," said Harry.

"Thank you. I must admit that my behaviour towards you was unnecessary and unjust. I am so sorry for my actions, but I hope we can make it up now," replied Snape, smiling. Harry was certain that they could, and, with this promise of a better future, he moved onto the next person.

Cedric Diggory was waiting patiently for his turn. "Harry, I know that you still blame yourself for my death," he said, "but I assure you that it wasn't your fault at all. If anyone is to blame, it must be Voldemort and Barty Crouch Junior, both of whom have been adequately punished for their crimes. You must stop blaming yourself for every person's death." The others murmured in agreement. Harry, although not completely guilt-free, felt much less burdened now that he had received a pardon from the dead teenager himself.

Finally there was Colin Creevey. His death had been particularly hard for Harry due to his youth and innocence. "I agree with Cedric," said Colin, "because I chose to return to Hogwarts despite the danger, and I paid the price for my decision. You are not to blame for that in the slightest. You've helped me immeasurably by bringing to account all the Death Eaters involved, so I feel nothing but gratitude towards you. You must believe that, Harry, because I do."

Once again, Harry felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and for the first time he felt truly liberated. He thanked everyone for their kindness, and they decided to stay to welcome him and celebrate his reunion with friends and family.

Afterwards, he was happily chatting to his friends and family, regaling them with tales of his children and grandchildren, whilst the others in turn told him about their recent antics. Laughing heartily, Harry reflected that Heaven was not just a kingdom of happiness and peace, but it was the land where friends and families were reunited and nobody dies.

***FINIS***


End file.
